


SECOND CHANCES

by fhsa_archivist



Category: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Genre: Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-08
Updated: 2007-04-08
Packaged: 2019-02-05 16:56:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12798552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fhsa_archivist/pseuds/fhsa_archivist
Summary: A casual meeting with a stranger changes Ennis's mind about moving in with Jack.





	SECOND CHANCES

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Haven, the archivist: This story was originally archived at [Fandom Haven Story Archive (FHSA)](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fandom_Haven_Story_Archive), was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2016. To preserve the archive, I began working with the OTW to transfer the stories to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. If you are this creator and the work hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Fandom Haven Story Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/fhsa/profile).

Title: SECOND CHANCES

Author: dmcintoshts@yahoo.com

Fandom: Brokeback Mountain

Rating: NC-17 FRAO

Warning: Sexually explicit M/M scenes

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Annie Proulx; not me.

Summary: A casual meeting with a stranger changes Ennis’s mind about

living with Jack.

 

 

SECOND CHANCES

 

He couldn't take it any more! Their last meeting had showed him

that. He saw the look in Jack's eyes. This time was different.

They said their goodbyes as usual; gave each other a hug and kiss,

slap on the back and he drove off. He had never seen that look in

Jack's eyes before and he knew what it meant. Something had broken

between them this time; something that would never be the same.

 

He couldn't stop the tears as he drove home. The thought that Jack

wouldn't be coming back in November kept eating at him.

He had that look. He was saying all the right words but it wasn't

there in his eyes anymore. Whatever it was that drew them to each

other like steel to a magnet. It was gone and he knew it.

 

He got drunk that night when he got home. Spent most of the next

week going over what was said between them. It was all true. Every

word he said to Jack. He had to admit that all of what Jack was true

as well. All the terrible things they said to each other, all the

yelling and tears and even the make-up sex; and the one thing that

stood out in his mind above all the rest of that trip was Jack

staring out across the moon-lit water and saying "The truth

is....Sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it."

 

Those words touched something inside Ennis that he didn't quite

understand. Made something all warm and good swell up inside him,

took his breath away just thinking about it. He listened to them over

and over again in his mind. He could have said those words himself.

The long months they spent apart were getting harder and harder to

stand. He missed Jack something awful. He should have told him

that. Maybe he wouldn't have had that awful this-is-the-end look in

his eyes when he drove off.

 

Payday Friday came around and his mood still hadn't changed. He went

straight to the Black and Blue Eagle bar, ordered a beer at the bar

carried it with him to a booth in the back that was empty. He sat

staring at the bottle, watching the rivulets of moisture run down the

side and stop on his hand where he gripped the bottle. "Sometimes I

miss you so much...." kept running through his mind. Each time

bringing with it that shiver of warmth through him. Those were

special words, Jack had said and he had none to answer him with.

Just took him into the tent and made sweet love to him; held him

close all night.

 

The crowd was picking up, the place getting noisier; some kind of

party going on, he figured. Well, it was about time for him to leave

anyway. He had just finished his third beer when a young man stopped

at his table.

"Sir? Could I borrow a light?" Nice looking, late twenties, longish

blond straight hair, preppy dressed like he just stepped out of a

college yearbook.

"Sure." Ennis said and reached his lighter up to the unlit cigarette

dangling from the young man's lips.

 

Some raucous laughter broke out and he was shoved in the back, nearly

landing face first on the table. He slid into the booth across from Ennis.

"Sorry. I'll leave soon as the crown clears." He said.

"It's OK. I was 'bout to leave myself." Ennis said.

Another crowd of about ten showed up and the place was really

jammed. A waiter came by carrying a tray of beer bottles and sat two

down on the table in front of them and went on by passing beer out to

every one in the place. There was no way he could make it to the

door right now so he decided to stay put and drink the free beer.

 

The young man stared out the window into the crowded parking lot in

silence. There was something about him that bothered Ennis.

Couldn't quite put a finger on it. One thing for sure, he'd been

crying. A tear ran down his cheek and he caught it with the back of

his hand.

"Look. I'm sorry. I should never have come in here. Your’re probably

part of the wedding party there. You don't need me around bringing

you down."

"I ain't part of no party. Just came here myself to get my week-end

drunk started off." Ennis said.

"You get drunk every week-end?"

"Mostly."

"And you're drinking alone?" More a statement than a question.

"Story of my life." Ennis allowed.

"You live in this town all your life?"

"Mostly."

"I hate it here." He screwed his face up tight, fighting back the

tears.

"Easy enough place to hate." Ennis agreed.

"My name is Charlie." he reached a hand across the table.

"Ennis" Ennis took the hand and shook it.

"I'll be leaving for good tomorrow morning." Charlie said.

Ennis said nothing.

 

They smoked in silence for a while then Charlie said, "You ever love

someone and hate them at the same time?"

"Funny question. Usually it's one or the other; never both." Ennis

said.

"My dad. I love him so much. Always have. Always did everything I

could to please him. Straight 'A's all through school; on the

baseball, basketball, & track teams. Earned letters in all three!

Never got a speeding ticket, never missed a curfew." He shook his

head, looked down and wiped his eyes again. "And now he hates me.

Never wants to see me again."

"Sounds pretty hard, sure you heard him right?"

"Oh, yeah; loud and clear."

 

Ennis didn't know the young man's pain but he understood misery when

he saw it. He wanted to say something to make him feel better but he

never was any good with words. He didn't say anything. Took another

swallow of beer.

"He said as far as he was concerned, I was dead. Called me a

Pervert; said he never wanted to lay eyes on me again."

"What the hell you do to make him turn on you like that?" Ennis

regretted the question the minute he asked it but it was out now and

he really did wonder about it.

"I came out to him." Charlie looked down at the table, fingering the

bottle in front of him.

 

"You came out to....see him?" Ennis asked, confused.

"I told him I was gay." Charlie clarified his statement.

Ennis stared at him, still not grasping the situation.

Charlie looked up at him, red rimmed eyes; seeing that Ennis clearly

did not understand.

"I'm gay. Homosexual. Queer." He said the words just loud enough

for Ennis to hear but it wasn't really necessary to lower their

voices; nothing could be heard over the celebrating wedding party.

 

"I just finished medical school. Top of my class. I applied for

several different residencies. One in Casper I really wanted so I'd

be closer to home. But I guess I'll be accepting the one in San

Francisco instead."

 

Ennis was dumbstruck. Here this young man was sitting in a crowded

bar talking about.....this stuff.

"My partner, Denny, preferred the San Francisco hospital anyway."

"Your partner?" Ennis asked through squinted eyes.

"Yeah. The guy I'm living with. We went through medical school

together; studied together. We're going to open a practice together

after we finish our residencies."

 

Ennis stared at him, shock evident on his face.

"You never heard of two guys living together?" Charlie asked.

"Heard about it. Bad results though." Ennis remembered his old

neighbors back home.

"Well, it's done all the time now; nothing new about it. People

just aren't hiding it anymore. Sure was hoping my dad would be

different." He shook his head sadly.

 

"Aren't you afraid? You know what could happen if people find out?"

Ennis warned.

"Afraid? No. Not about that. Do I ever get afraid? Sure. Like

anybody else. I'm not crazy about big cities. I get lost a lot.

Always afraid when I'm driving on those freeways. I'm afraid at work

sometimes. Afraid I'll do something wrong and someone will die

because of me. I'm afraid all the time for Denny. His entire family

has serious health problems. I worry myself sick sometimes thinking

I might lose him. There's lots of things to be afraid of; but I'm

sure not going to spend my life without the person I love just

because my dad and people like him, think I'm a pervert."

 

Another round of beers was sat down in front of them. They both took

a long swig and sat the bottles back down on the table.

"San Francisco is a beautiful city. Denny's from right near there,

small town across the bay. His folks like me. Welcomed me with open

arms, took to me right away." A wistful grimace crossed his

face. "Denny was willing to stay here in Wyoming if I wanted.

Haven't told him yet. Looks like it's going to be California for

me. You ever been to San Francisco?"

 

"No. Never been out of Wyoming." Ennis had to tear his eyes away

from the young man; thought he might be staring.

"No kidding? Well San Francisco is the place to be for me and

Denny. They got gay bars, hotels, restaurants; whole communities

there. I can walk down the street holding Denny's hand and nobody

even takes no notice of it. Its 1984, for Christ's sake. Should be

like that all over. People should know that gay people don't choose

to be gay. Who would choose to be something that is the butt of

jokes; ridiculed everywhere you go? We're just people, like

everybody else." He stubbed out his cigarette and finished off his

beer.

 

The crowd left en-masse to continue the festivities elsewhere and the

place was near empty again.

"Look, Ennis, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring you down. I

shouldn't have unloaded on you like that." He stood up to go.

"It's alright." Ennis stood too and reached out a hand to

him. "Hope everything works out for you. Maybe your dad will come

around."

"Thanks" Charlie said. "Somehow I don't see that happening." A sad

smile and he was gone.

 

Ennis paid his tab and went on home. He lay in bed a long time

thinking about Charlie and his 'partner' Denny. He was scared

to death for them and hoped he didn't see their pictures on the TV

someday, with terrible things happening to them.

 

He had to admire them. Standing up to their folks and telling them

such things. He could understand the daddy's feelings; knew those

words could as easily have come from his own dad's mouth. Being this

here 'gay' just wasn't acceptable. He wondered if there was really a

place like this San Francisco Charlie told him of. He knew there

was a city by that name but a whole city where people could just

be....themselves....be gay. He didn't know if he believed that.

 

It pained him though that a daddy could say such things to his

child. Tell him to go away and never come back. That was too harsh

for him to think about. No wonder Charlie was so torn up. He

couldn't imagine saying such words to his girls. No matter what they

did or whoever they wanted to be with.

 

He thought about his own daddy and knew there was a lot of hate in

the man. Hate for everything and everyone who was different. He

hated just about everybody that Ennis could remember. Hated the

Germans for crippling his pa with a bayonet, hated the wetbacks

coming up from Mexico and taking jobs from the locals, hated the

Russians, afraid they were going to nuke him any minute, hated folks

who let their kids run wild and most of all, hated kids who threw gum

on the sidewalk.

He wondered what his dad would do if he knew about him and Jack.

Probably get his shotgun, and take him out of this world.

 

Ennis got up and lit a cigarette. He paced the floor with his

thoughts badgering him every step. In a way, he envied Charlie.

He was going off to be with Denny. They were 'partners'. He liked

the sound of that. He thought of Jack. Wondered what he would think

of Charlie. He probably already knew about this San Francisco. Jack

knew a lot of things that he didn't. He'd been around a lot more.

 

He sat down in his recliner and indulged himself with thoughts of his

Jack. Once again, regret for their last meeting set in. He wondered

if there was anything he could do to fix things. He wondered what it

would be like if he and Jack went off to some place like San

Francisco. He hated big cities though and so did Jack. Wondered

what it would be like though to walk down the street holding Jack's

hand; and nobody even noticing or caring or hating them for it.

Silly thoughts. It sure would be nice though.

 

He thought about Jack's hands; the long slender fingers. Thought

about how good they felt against his cheek; the way they fingered

their way through his hair. He remembered watching them as they

unsnapped his shirt, undid his belt; how good they felt running over

his body; touching his cock and balls; pressing up inside him.

 

He slid his hand down inside his pajamas and squeezed himself;

thinking of Jack always made him hard. Made him want him; ache with

need for him. He rubbed himself faster; thinking of that face, the

sky blue eyes staring at him; that smile of his. Not the full-open

faced smile but the little one, the one that said "Come on. Let's

get after it." It never failed to make him lunge for Jack and tumble

to the ground, rolling around as clothes came flying off, and mouths

glued together like their very lives depended on them staying that

way.

 

He came quickly and leaned back in his chair; mind still besotted

with Jack. After a bit he got up and cleaned himself up; got back

into bed. No sleep though. Just thoughts of Jack; smiling, loving,

wanting him and Jack cursing, yelling, wanting to quit him. Thoughts

of Charlie and his Denny came and went. He feared for them and

envied them at the same time. If only he was that brave. Brave

enough to stand up to the world and scream at the top of his

lungs, "I love Jack Twist! So come on world and take your best shot!"

 

He did love Jack. He used to try and pretend that he didn't and that

as long as he didn't love him, he wasn't queer. There was no denying

it anymore. He was queer; or gay. Whatever the world wanted to

call him. He was straight once. At least he tried to be. Tried

hard to be with Alma. It never worked though. Not from their first

time, on their wedding night, as much as he had wished otherwise, he

couldn't touch Alma without wishing it was Jack. So he decided he

must have been queer all along; not that it mattered. 

 

The marriage was long over with, his girls were grown now. In a few 

months Jenny would be 18 and all child support would end. She'd be off 

to Casper to move in with his sister and start nursing school. Junior was all

settled with Kurt down in Cheyenne. Soon he would be all alone

again, with nothing but memories of the girls growing up; and maybe

getting to see them a couple of times a year. Just like his time

with Jack. Only a few times a year. 

 

"I'm not you. I can't make it on a couple a high-altitude fucks once or twice a year." 

The words haunted him. Jack. Jack. He didn't know what to do to make it

right. He had to do something, but what? He had to get Jack back. He

needed to tell him he loved him. They never said those words to each

other. They should have. It was like some bridge between them; as

long as they didn't cross it, they were still OK. Still not queer.

 

"I'm not going to spend my life without the person I love because my

dad and people like him think I'm a pervert." The words echoed in

his brain. Charlie had guts. He was afraid of a lot of thing in his

life but not afraid to love someone. Ennis envied him. Dozed off

thinking about Charlie, and Jack and wishing and wondering what it'd

be like.

 

He woke up early for a Saturday morning. Made some coffee and toast

and sat at his table thinking about Jack. Wondering what he was

doing. Probably lying there next to his Lureen, sleeping in. Maybe

having sex with her.

 

He stood up and threw the rest of his toast into the trash. He

couldn't stand thoughts of Jack down in Texas, so far away. Sleeping

with someone else. He thought of Mexico then. Jack said he had

been. He couldn't take those thoughts. Didn't understand why there

was so much difference. He didn't like thinking of Jack with Lureen,

not at all; but thoughts of Jack with another man, sent him over the

edge. Shouldn't be no other man there but me. He's mine.

 

"We coulda had a real good life together but you wouldn't do it."

The words came like a whip-lash across his memory.

Jack was right. They could have been together all those years but

for his fears and the knowing of it sickened him. His part in their

miseries was all too clear. All Jack ever wanted was for them to be

together and he'd told him no. Over and over he'd told him no. And

now there might not ever be a chance to fix things. He could be with

someone else right now. Not with Lureen or some ranch manager's

wife. Could be with the ranch manager. Making plans with him to go

off somewhere together. He flung his coffee cup across the room and

it clanged against the wall, spilling it's contents as it flew.

 

He went over to the phone and picked up the receiver, dialed the

number he had memorized but never called before and waited. Two

rings, three. "Hello?" A sleepy-headed Jack answered. He could just

imagine him all tousle-haired, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. His

heart smiled.

 

"Jack, it's me. We need to talk." He didn't want to talk. He wanted

to hear Jack talk. Hear him tell him how much he missed him. Needed

to hear his voice saying all the right things.

"Yeah, sure. Hold on a minute. Let me change phones." Jack

answered.

There was a few minutes of silence and a few clicks as Jack picked up

the phone in his den and put the receiver back down on the phone

beside his bed.

 

"Everything alright?" A sleepy Lureen asked from under the blankets.

"Yeah. Go back to sleep. I'll take care of it." He patted her rump

and hurried back to the den.

"Everythin all right?" he asked, worried since Ennis had never called

him before.

 

The voice wasn't what he remembered. It was too much like at their

last meeting. Something missing. He had to make this right.

"I needed to say something." he stumbled over his words.

"I thought we said about all there was to say."

"Didn't. Didn't say what I should have. Should have told you I love

you." The words just slipped out. He wanted to say them but say

them in a special kind of way so that Jack would hear them deep

inside; where he would know their truth.

 

The line was silent and he thought for a moment that they had been

disconnected.

"How does sayin the truth make any difference?" Jack asked.

"It does, is all. I know things now, I didn't before. I been wrong

Jack. Wrong to deny my feelins, wrong to send you away when all I

wanted was to grab hold of you and never let you go. I'm askin you

to forgive me; give me a second chance. I know you already gave me

lots of chances over the years and like a fool, I turned them all

down. I'm askin for one more. Ask me one more time, Jack. Hell,

I'll ask you this time. If you think we could make a go of it, and

if you still want to try; well I'd like that. I'd like that a lot.

I guess what I'm askin is, do you still want me?"

 

The phone was silent again. His heart caught in his throat and the

terrible fear that he had overstepped things, that is was too late,

that Jack already had someone else to replace him, didn't need him

anymore.

"You serious about this?" his voice trembled.

"Couldn't be more serious, Jack." he answered quickly; couldn't take

another long silence.

"It would have to be all the way. I won't live a lie any longer.

We'd have to tell my folks, our kids."

"Ain't sayin, it'll be a easy thing for me but I'll do whatever you

want. Tell whoever you want." He was desperate.

"Why, Ennis? I got the right to know what changed your mind after

all these years. I need to know." Jack asked.

 

"Somethin happened last time we was together. Something broke 'tween

us. I could feel it down to my bones. I could see it in your eyes.

Been doing a lot of thinkin. Thinkin you might not come back to me

no more. Got to thinkin 'bout you givin all your smiles to someone

else. Couldn't stand it, Jack. Just couldn't fuckin stand the

thought of you out there needin me and turnin to someone else. Ain't

no kind a life for neither of us. I guess my fears of losing you

finally caught up with my fears of the tire irons. The way I been

feelin since we was together last, I'd rather take a beatin with

those irons than go through this last week again." He waited but

heard nothing but silence on the other end. "You still want this,

Jack? Or you change your mind; got someone else already lined up

maybe; someone who won't turn you away; tell you no?"

 

"You're all I ever wanted, Ennis. I've told you that a thousand

times!"

"I know. I know you did and I always shut you down. Won't do that

no more. We gotta fix this, Jack."

"So you got some big plan, or is this all just a one-of-these-days

dream?" Jack still couldn't let himself believe it.

"I'd be lying to you if I said it wasn't a dream. It is a dream to

me. Something I never figured I'd be askin you for. And no,

I don't have no plan. Thought maybe we could work on that

together." He held his breath, waiting for an answer.

 

"How do you propose we do that with you up there and me down here?"

He still wasn't convinced.

"I'll come down there. I'll take the bus. We gotta talk."

"You serious? You'd get on a bus and come down here?"

"Yeah. Whatever it takes, Jack. We gotta be together. Talk this

out."

"And what if someone sees us. You gonna go green and turn away from

me; afraid they might know somethin?"

Ennis swallowed hard. "I know I done that. If it helps any, I made

myself sick over that. Went home and puked my guts out. Told the

girls I had the flu."

 

"It doesn't help, Ennis. It's over and done with. We can't change

the past."

"No we can't. But we can change the future. Make a try of it at

least. You given up on me? Figured I wasn't worth the

trouble?......I can understand that. I ain't got no excuses,

Jack. I was scared. Still am. Probably always will be. But I

want to try. See if we can make a go of it." He waited for an

answer and got only silence.

 

"I guess I waited too long to get smart. I got my answer. I won't

bother you no more."

 

"WAIT!" Jack screamed into the phone. "Don't you dare hang up on me!"

"Thought you didn't have anythin else to say to me." A slight

glimmer of hope flickered somewhere deep inside him.

"Hell, Ennis. I got a million things to say to you. Just trying to

get them all lined up is all."

"Take your time, Jack. I'll wait as long as you want. You sure

waited for me long enough.

"There are things about me you don't know. Probably hate me for.

Lots of things we never talked 'bout."

"Don't hate you, Jack. Anythin you did was cause I turned you away.

My fault; all way 'round."

 

"Ennis, I ain't exactly been truthful with you 'bout some stuff. I

told you I was seein a rancher neighbor's wife. Well it wasn't the

wife, I was seein. It was the rancher."

Ennis was silent for a minute, Jack's words like a knife in his heart.

"It serious between the two of you?" he asked, despair clouding in.

"Thought for a time it might be. Couldn't do it to him though. He's

a nice guy. Real nice. Wouldn't be fair to him when I couldn't get

you out of my mind."

"Guess I messed up all 'round then."

"Ennis, Damn it! We need to talk."

"I'll see 'bout a bus ticket."

"No. Forget that. It's too slow. I'll call the airport. See if I

can get a flight up."

"Jack, you're comin up? You gonna give me a second chance?"

"I'm comin up. We'll talk. That's all I can promise right now. Can

you handle that?"

"Yes sir, I can. You won't be sorry, Jack. Promise you that."

"I'll call you when I find out about my flight."

"OK. I'll be waitin."

"Ennis?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too. Always have. Always will."

 

Four oclock that afternoon saw Ennis pacing back and forth in his

small trailer. He had gone into town, stocked up on groceries and

beer. Came home and with hours still left to wait, decided to do a

good cleaning up job around the place. Went over to the on-site

laundry and washed everything that was washable; came back and

scrubbed the place from top to bottom. Three o'clock saw him

showering, shaving, brushing teeth, trying to decide which shirt to

put on. He polished his boots for the first time since Junior's

wedding. Took his truck into town and got a store-bought wash job on

it for the first time. Went home and cleaned the inside out as

well. He did everything he knew of to do. So now he was standing

by, waiting for Jack's call. He carried the phone with him as he

paced; lifting the receiver from time to time to check for a dial

tone.

 

He fiddled with the radio trying to get some music; finally found a

station with some music to his liking; and sat on the bed holding the

phone in his lap when a loud knocking at the door interrupted his

thoughts.

He opened the door to find Jack standing there, thumbs looped in his

belt.

His heart soared.

"Thought you was gonna call? I was gonna pick you up." He held his

breath, something was different. The smile was back. That special

look, Jack always gave him, if he wasn't mistaken; it looked like it

was back.

"Flight got in at 2:30. Took me a while but I found a truck I

liked. Like it?" He walked back a few steps to show off his new

truck.

 

"You just bought that? Right now?" Ennis came down the steps and

walked around the truck, noticed the heavy duty hitch on the

back. "You plannin on towin somethin?"

"Been thinkin of buyin a new truck anyway. Figured it would be best

to get one here. No sense putting all that mileage on it.

Got the tow-hitch on it just in case."

"Just in case?" Ennis squinted at him in the late afternoon sunlight.

"In case anything need towin 'round here." Jack smiled back at him.

"Sounds like you got a head start on plannin."

"Had a plan all along. Just never got 'round to tellin it."

"Well, what you say we go inside. You can tell me all 'bout this

plan of yours."

 

Jack gave him that old smile of his and it was all he could do to

keep from jumping him right there up against his shiny new truck.

Instead, they went inside but just barely got the door closed before

Jack turned and grabbed him, kissed him fiercely.

"I ain't leaving here alone this time." he whispered against the side

of Ennis's neck.

"When you leave here, I'll be sittin right beside you in that fancy

truck of yours." Ennis held him tight.

"Nothin I want more right now than to throw you on that bed over

there but we need to talk." Jack pulled back breathless.

"You got it, Bud. I said my piece on the phone. Whatever you got to

say to me, I'm willin to hear."

 

They sat down, Jack at the little table and Ennis on the corner of

his bed.

"Beer? Whiskey?" Ennis offered. Jack turned him down.

"Gotta keep a clear head. This is important."

"It is that." Ennis agreed.

They sat and stared at one another for a few minutes; small grin on

Jack's face mirroring the upturned corners of Ennis mouth.

"I guess what I need most right now is to hear you say the words

again. See your face sayin it." Jack started.

 

"Love you, Jack. Don't you ever doubt that. Have from the

beginnin. Just too dumb and scared to admit it." Ennis said.

Jack pulled his hat off and tossed it over on the dresser.

"I been thinkin 'bout this since that first 14 hour drive up to see

you back in '67. Got so excited when I got you card. I wanted to

drop everything right then; I would have too if you would have come

away with me."

 

Ennis shook his head and looked down.

"That was a whole lotta years ago. A lot has happened since then. I

ain't exactly been pure white and true, Ennis."

"Don't care none about before." Ennis looked him straight in the

eye. "Don't matter none, long as it’s over with."

"Most of it was just one-night stands. A quick fuck here or there.

Somethin to get me through the night."

 

"Most of it?" Ennis questioned, not wanting to hear the answer but

knowing Jack needed to get it out.

"There was one. That rancher neighbor I told you about." He watched

Ennis face closely. "Just started about six months ago. Saw each

other half a dozen times or so. He was same shape as me. Moonin

over an old boyfriend he couldn't have."

 

Ennis chewed on a nail and kept quiet. Didn't want to hear about

someone being with his Jack no matter how lonely the guy was. He

held his tongue and waited for Jack to finish.

"After you and I talked this morning, I called him. Told him I

couldn't see him tonight like we had planned."

Ennis drummed his fingertips on his knees and kept his mouth shut;

not without effort.

 

"Did you really mean all the things you said this mornin? or were you

drunk?" Jack leaned back in his chair, fists clenched in his jacket

pocket.

"I ani't had a drink since last night. Nothin but coffee and a soda

earlier this afternoon. Yes, I meant every word I said this mornin."

 

"Nothin would make me happier, Ennis. You and me on a place of our

own. You sure you want that?"

"I'm sure."

"It won't be easy. People will find out sooner or later. Might be

some name callin. Don't wanna have to be pullin you out of fights

every other day."

"I can take it."

"If it happens you gonna run off and leave me?" Blue eyes stared

hard into him.

"Jack....I can take anythin but livin without you. I won't be runnin

off. Don't care what anyone thinks 'bout me anymore, just you."

He stared at Jack, sitting there all leaned back, long legs stretched

out in front on him, crossed at the ankles; looking down.

 

Ennis stood up, stepped across the short distance between them and

sat down on Jack's lap, straddling him. Jack looked up in surprise.

"Thought I might try and convince you." He cradled Jack's head in

both his hands and pressed their lips together; moved his hips

pressing them together in all the right places. A small moan escaped

Jack's lips and his arms came up around Ennis's back.

 

"Thought we were gonna talk?" Jack whispered against the side of

Ennis's head as he dipped down and kissed the side of Jack's neck.

"We're talkin. Go ahead. Say whatever you want. You talk. I'll

talk. We're talkin." He unsnapped Jack's shirt and slid a hand

inside, down inside his undershirt, caressed and gently pinched a

nipple.

"Ennis....Ooohh." He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it. Ennis

pulled Jack's shirt loose from his jeans.

"You sure got a lot of clothes on." Ennis said and the shirt landed

somewhere in the vicinity of the jacket. He undid his own shirt then

and tossed it as well. "Your turn to talk." he said sucking on

Jack's ear lobe.

 

Jack gripped Ennis's hips and ground them tight against his. "We

shoud be discussin my plan....plan...oohhh yeah."

Ennis slid down off his lap onto his knees and pulled Jack's boots

off. Reached up and undid the zipper.

Jack inhaled sharply.

"Go ahead. Talk. I'm listening." With both hands, he gave the

jeans a tug and slid then down around Jack's knees. He laid his

cheek against the cotton bulge.

 

"Don't think....listening....you...." He pressed up against Ennis's

face, ran his fingers through the short curling hair.

Shorts joined jeans around the knees.

Ennis pressed kisses everywhere, nipping and licking. "You're mine,

Jack. Ain't letting nobody else have you." He took him in deep

then, back of his throat straining to take it all in.

Jack let out a growl, pressed in deeper, deeper; in and out, in and

out.

 

Ennis pulled off then. Stood up and stripped naked while Jack

watched with ragged breath. Two steps took him to the nightstand and

he pulled out a tube of lube and tossed to Jack, then laid down on

the bed, face down. His face barely hit the pillow when Jack's

weight was on him, pressing into him.

 

Ennis moaned with pleasure as Jack entered him; pressed back against

him; reached back and gripped the naked ass, held it tight to him.

How could he ever have lived so long without this? His Jack inside

him. He didn't know. He did know one thing though, he was never

going to let Jack go again. He'd be taking care of all of Jack's

needs from now on and that Texas rancher fella can find someone else

to spend his Saturday nights with. Jack was his and he wasn't ever

going to let him forget it.

 

The next morning they pulled out of the trailer park; Jack's new

truck in front, pulling Ennis's trailer with his pick up on behind;

and headed north for Lightning Flat. Jack's plan was to buy the

place next to his folks place. It had been for sale for years now,

with no takers. He was sure it could be had at a good price. He was

familiar with the area, knew what grew best there, knew the history

of the neighborhood; knew what the market was.

 

He had managed over the last twenty years to put away a nice nest

egg. More than enough to buy the place outright, stock it and have a

few years running room. They would also be close enough to go over

and give his folks a hand whenever needed.

 

They knew it wasn't going to be easy but they never asked for easy.

All they asked for was a second chance to get it right.

 

 

The End


End file.
